Mariëtte du Plessis

Mariëtte du Plessis is currently a senior partner in the Trade Mark Litigation section of the Trade Marks Department. She has been a partner in the firm of Adams & Adams since 1997 and an experienced top-tier ranked IP attorney with 30 years of experience in IP. She served on the Minister of Trade’s Standing Advisory Committee on IP for a number of years. She was the chairlady of the Trade Mark Litigation section in 2009 and has chaired the Design Committee and initiated the firm’s sponsorships for The Design Indaba, The Loeries Advertising Awards and South African Music Awards (SAMAs) to raise awareness of IP amongst creatives and performing artists in South Africa and currently serves on the firm’s African committee.Mariëtte specialises in all trade mark, copyright, advertising law and domain name related disputes throughout Africa, as well as regulatory advice. She represents high profile South African and international clients in their trade mark and copyright matters throughout Africa. Her key clients include Mastercard International Inc, Google LLC, Disney Enterprises Inc, Avon Products Inc, Sun International Limited, ABSA Bank Limited and National Brands Limited. She is the client relation partner for many of the firm’s top local and international clients. She has been involved in a number of high-profile cases over the years.  In the case of Pioneer Foods (Pty) Ltd v Bothaville Milling (Pty) Ltd, she successfully represented the respondent in the case up to the Supreme Court of Appeal. It is regarded as the “road map” for passing off cases in South Africa. She is a Senior Adjudicator for .co.za domain name disputes. She served as a Council Member on the Board of the South African Institute of Intellectual Property Law (SAIIPL) for many years and was the President in 2007. She served on and chaired the Copyright and Trade Mark Law committees of SAIIPL for many years. She received a Presidential Award in 2012.She has served on numerous INTA committees including Africa Legislative Analysis committee (and chaired it), PDA Council and currently the OAPI/ARIPO sub-committee of and Subcommittee of the INTA TOPC Committee. She is also currently the secretary of the Marques International Trade Mark Team and serves on the Working Group on the Improvement of ARIPO.Mariëtte has a particular interest in IP aspects of the arts, design and advertising, with a focus on educating young creative talents to protect their IP. She regularly lectures on IP at advertising and design schools.She has written numerous articles on a wide range of IP related topics in South Africa and published articles in World Trade Mark Review, Marques newsletters and local publications, including De Rebus, the leading publication for attorneys in South Africa. She has also presented talks on IP at many South African conferences. She has been quoted in newspaper articles and is regularly approached for interviews by local newspapers, radio and television stations.Mariëtte's credentials include;   International Trade Marks Association (INTA) OAPI/ARIPO committee – Member | Current International Trade Marks Association (INTA) Board – Director | 2006 – 2008 International Trade Marks Association (INTA) Legislative Analysis sub-committee (Africa & Middle East) – Chairlady | 2002-2003 International Trade Marks Association (INTA) External Relations Committee and PDA Council – Vice-chairlady | 2004-2005 International Trade Marks Association (INTA) Trade Mark Office Practices Committee, OAPI/ARIPO Sub-committee – Member | 2006-2013 Legal Practice Council (LPC) – Member South African Institute of Intellectual Property Law (SAIIPL) – Fellow South African Institute of Intellectual Property Law (SAIIPL) – President | 2007 South African Institute of Intellectual Property Law (SAIIPL) – Council Member 2003-2008 South African Institute of Intellectual Property Law (SAIIPL) Trade Mark Law, Copyright Law and ADR Committees – Member & Past Chairlady South African Institute of Intellectual Property Law (SAIIPL) – Member Education committee The Association of European Trade Mark Owners (MARQUES) Trade Mark Law Committee of Marques – Secretary   Acritas Stars database – Outstanding Lawyers in South Africa| 2018, 2019, 2020 Best Lawyers: Intellectual Property Law – South Africa | 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 Best Lawyers in South Africa | 2015 Chambers Global – Ranked Band 2 Lawyer | 2016 – 2019 Chambers Global – South Africa Trade Marks | 2013 – 2018 Client Choice Awards Finalist | 2016 Corporate LiveWire’s Legal Awards Finalist | 2016 Euromoney IP Star Finalist | 2016 Euromoney’s Expert Guides: Women in Business Law – Leading Practitioner Nominee | 2014 Finance Monthly Global Awards – Sports and Entertainment Lawyer of the Year: South Africa (Shortlisted) | 2017 InterContinental Finance Magazine (ICFM) – Leading Lawyer 500 Award Winner | 2013 Legal 500 – Recommended IP Practitioner | 2018 Managing Intellectual Property Law (MIP) Top 250 Women in IP |2017, 2018 MIP Global IP Stars – Top 250 Women in IP: Trademarks | 2017, 2018 MIP IP Stars - Trademarks| 2017 - 2019 SAIIPL Special Achievement Presidential Award | 2012 Top Women Award Finalist | 2013 Who’s Who Legal Ranking – Sports & Entertainment | 2016, 2017, 2018 Who’s Who Legal Ranking – Trademarks | 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 Woman in Business Law Experts Guide – One of the World’s Leading Trade Mark Practitioners|2016, 2017 WTR 1000 – Individuals: Enforcement and Litigation | 2019WTR 1000 – Leading Trade Mark Professionals – Top Tier |

Education:
BLC - University of Pretoria (1984)LLB - University of Pretoria (1986)Admitted attorney (1989)Qualified trade mark practitioner (1991)

Formal Admissions:
Admitted to the High Court as an attorney in January 1989.

Admission Status:
Practicing Roll

Languages:
Afrikaans, English

Direct Contact:
  +27 (0)12 432 6000